The People's Friend

I've been in a bit of a short story mood at present, so I bought a copy of The People's Friend for the lordly price of $3 from my local news agency.  I swear that's the cheapest magazine I've bought for the past five years.  Actually, I should be honest and admit that I didn't buy it at all - I asked my mother to pick up a copy the next time she went shopping.

Anyway, it's actually the first time I've ever actually "bought" a copy of The People's Friend.  I usually just find them in laundromats.  And, if I recall correctly, usually in Tasmania.  Pretty much every time I've spent quality time in a laundromat in Tasmania, I have done so in the company of an ancient copy of The People's Friend.

It always amazes me that they look exactly the same.  It doesn't seem to matter if I've found a copy from the early 1990s or from last year, they still look like they were designed by the same production company, probably at the same point in the space-time continuum.  Even the ads in my current copy look exactly like the ads I've seen in 25 year old issues.  I swear, mail order clothes simply don't change...

Although, my current issue does contain far too many "illustrations" that are actually photoshoped stock photos.  Really?  Is it entirely necessary to use modern technology to create images that look like they came from the 80s?  Old school images should be done old school, dammit.  If you're going to use photos, then just use photos.  Having said that - don't use photos.  Just pay someone with a pencil to draw something.  It looks better.

I am enjoying the magazine.  I'm reading it in breaks between reading and writing about "serious" short stories - which is probably the only reason why I haven't started hating short stories as a result of my research.  Literary Criticism sucks the joy out of things - and the "modern short story" is a fairly joyless thing to start off with.  Soooo much arty-farty "I'm a serious writer writing about serious art" crap.  At least the stories in The People's Friend are always pleasant.

I just feel as if I should start eating scones and wearing tweed (the material, not the perfume) while reading them...